Bubba Pollard scores Red Eye 100 victory at New Smyrna

NEW SMYRNA, Fla. – Bubba Pollard kicked-off the 2017 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series season with a celebration in victory lane Saturday night at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway.

The Senoia, Georgia speedster won the 31st Red Eye Super Late Model 100 after an intense finish with New Smyrna’s 2016 champion Brad May at the end of the 100-lap feature.

“I let Brad (May) go at the beginning of the race hoping he’d burn his right front tire off,” said Pollard. “But I stayed with him. We were able to cool our tires off there and get a restart. He had a good racecar and he made it tough on us for sure.”

With 14 laps remaining, a spin in turn 2 set up a dramatic finish for the 100-lap feature event.

“I spun the tires on the restart,” said May. “I shifted and spun the tires the rest of the way down the straightaway, almost.”

Pollard was able to beat May at the line to earn his second Red Eye 100 victory. His win made him the first repeat winner since Stephen Nasse in 2011 and 2013 and the third repeat winner overall.

Roderick drove to the victory after a last lap tangle with Carter Stokes sent Stokes spinning in the final turn as the two attempted to negotiate a lap car. That led to a post-race scuffle in victory lane with members of Stokes’ crew, resulting in race officials disqualifying Stokes for “Unsportsmanlike Conduct.”

Spencer Davis finished in second, with Anthony Sergi in third, Mason Diaz in fourth and Brad May in fifth.